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’It broke us,’ Blend said

Picker nodded again

’Maybe,’ the wo his contest with the White Faces and us getting executed one and all hast allies or not, I ain’t looking forward to this war’

Picker stared into the flaht happen e next step into battle’

’We’re brittle, Corporal Riven with cracks …’

’Got no-one to trust, that’s the probleht for’

’There’s Dujek, to answer both of those,’ Blend said

’Aye, our renegade Fist…’

Blend softly snorted

Picker glanced over at her friend, frowned ’What?’

’He ain’t no renegade,’ Blend said in a low voice ’We’re only cut loose ’cause of Brood and the Tiste Andii, ’cause we couldn’t have ed the parley otherwise Ain’t you wondered, Corporal, who that new standard-bearer of Onearm’s is?’

’What’s his name? Arantal? Artanthos Huh He showed up-’

’About a day after the outlawry proclamation’

’So? Who do you think he is, Blend?’

’A top-ranking Claw, is er Here at the coot proof of that?’

’No’

Picker swung her scowl back to the fire ’Noho’s juades,’ Blend asserted ’We’re doing the E, Corporal, no matter how it looks Whiskeyjack knows, too And maybe so does that healer over there, and Quick Ben-’

’You mean the Ninth’

’Aye’